Innovation in the Classroom
APS believes that non-traditional outcomes for students will require non-traditional approaches to teaching and learning. Beginning with APS’ innovative charter district model that empowers principal, families and school communities to make choices that best serve students, APS is actively building a culture that encourages schools and teachers to innovate to best serve their students. Innovations at APS range from Signature Programs, to personalized learning to Social Emotional Learning and beyond.
Signature Programs at APS
APS’ signature programs provide innovative, focused and challenging instruction to students. They include:
- International Baccalaureate (IB) – IB programs aim to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. • Participating clusters: Jackson, Mays, North Atlanta and Therrell
- STEM – This integrated curriculum coordinates the teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics through problem solving, discovery and exploratory project/problem-based learning
Participating clusters: Douglass, South Atlanta, Washington and B.E.S.T. Academy and Coretta Scott King YWLA - College and Career Prep – This College and Career Preparatory curriculum is based on the essential skills, knowledge and dispositions that children need to succeed as citizens and workers in today’s world.
Participating clusters: Carver and Grady.
Curriculum
APS believes all students deserve the opportunity to engage with rich, relevant and challenging curricular materials every day. To this end, APS has invested in a host of curricular materials, resources and assessment items for teachers and schools to select from, ensuring teachers have a strong starting point for their instruction. Examples of curricular resources used at APS include:
- APS’ Units of Study
- Eureka Math
- Expeditionary Learning
- My Math
APS teachers are actively encouraged to draw from rigorous curricular materials and use their insights, experiences and passions to to tailor curriculum to the needs of their students.
SEL Initiative
Research has found that students who participate in Social-Emotional Learning programming make gains in multiple areas including pro-social behavior, attitudes about themselves and others, standardized achievement scores and social emotional skills. These same students also showed a reduction in problem behaviors and emotional distress.
At APS, students receive direct instruction on Social Emotional Skills and on-going opportunities to hone their social-emotional skills.
Personalized Learning
At APS we take a big picture approach to the integration of technology and education. Our offerings are infused into daily lesson plans, take shape through special events and new digital tools, and are shared and communicated by our teacher-partners. The future is here and we’re meeting it with open arms.
Click here to learn more about the events and experiences we provide for our students and our teachers.
